ST. LOUIS—The U.S. Transportation Department has ended a $5 billion grant program that helps states build electric vehicle chargers. It’s a decision that would appear to have minimal impact in Missouri, but could upend a Pritzker administration goal of having 1 million registered electric vehicle users in Illinois by 2030. 

In a memo sent to state transportation department directors Thursday, the U.S. Transportation Department said it is rescinding the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program established through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021. 

What You Need To Know

  • Illinois set a goal of having 1 million electric vehicles registered in the state by 2030 but has cited studies showing concerns about access to charging stations

  • The Biden administraiton had set a goal of 500,000 publicly available EV chargers by 2030

  • In a memo sent to state transportation department directors Thursday, the Trump administration said it is rescinding the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program established through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021
  • Missouri officials had yet to put out a request for proposals for what they had said previoulsy would be 8 new EV stations and upgrades to 16 others 

The move follows the executive order President Donald Trump signed on his first day in office aimed at expanding American energy production. The order called for eliminating the Biden administration’s so-called EV mandate, including subsidies that favor electric vehicles over other technologies.

Last March, the Environmental Protection Agency under the Biden administration issued its strongest-ever pollution standards for passenger vehicles that would have required 56% of new vehicle sales to be electric by 2032. To support their adoption, the Biden administration set a goal of building 500,000 publicly available EV chargers by 2030.

Prior to Trump taking office last month, the U.S. Transportation Department said there were more than 206,000 publicly available EV charging ports with 38,000 new public chargers turned on in 2024.

The Energy Department estimated that 28 million public and private EV charging ports would be necessary in the U.S. to support an estimated 33 million EVs expected to be on the road by 2030. 

In 2024, sales of electric vehicles reached their highest level ever, making up 8.1% of the 15.9 million total, bolstered by a $7,500 federal tax credit that the Trump administration also seeks to eliminate. 

In 2023 Missouri officials cited 2021 data showing 6,740 all-electric vehicles registered in the state, just over a half percent of all-electric vehicles nationally. A task force set a goal of having eight new charging stations with upgrades to 16 existing locations to meet NEVI compliance by 2034.

At the time, Missouri projected having 5.02% of the country’s registered all-electric vehicles by 2035.

A Missouri Department of Transportation spokesperson told Spectrum News that the state had yet to issue a request for proposals for any of the work.

In Illinois, officials have talked about the need of having at least 10,000 EV charging stations to meet its 2030 goal.

Last fall, when Gov. J.B. Pritzker visited the Metro East to celebrate the installation of EV charging stations at state parks, officials said there were 120,000 electric vehicles already on Illinois roads, with 1,200 charging stations currently open to the public.

IDOT documents show a deadline had just passed late last month to apply for a second round of funding under the NEVI grant program. An agency spokesperson said it was still reviewing the new guidance and the potential impact on moving forward. 

Okawville and the I-64 corridor was among the closest areas to the Metro East eligible to apply under phase two.

Illinois State Rep. Charlie Meier, R-Okawville, was critical of the federal program in an interview with Spectrum News on Saturday.

“The whole clean energy deal has been built on the American taxpayer,“ he said. Electric vehicles have a place, he added, while at the same time citing concerns about having the electric capacity to charge them. 

“Is the world going to end?,” he asked. “No.”

Launched in February 2022, the NEVI program was set up to provide nearly $5 billion over five years to help states create a network of EV charging stations. 

According to the most recent update from the NEVI program in November 2024, there are 126 public charging ports operating at 31 NEVI stations in nine states. A total of 41 states had released solicitations for new stations, 35 of which had issued awards for more than 3,560 fast-charging ports in 890 locations.

EV chargers have long been cited as a barrier to adoption. According to the latest EV Purchase Consideration Survey from J.D. Power, more than half of car buyers cited a lack of charging station availability as the reason they are unlikely to consider an electric vehicle.